The Elementals cover art

The Elementals

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

About this listen

After a bizarre and disturbing incident at the funeral of matriarch Marian Savage, the McCray and Savage families look forward to a restful and relaxing summer at Beldame, on Alabama's Gulf Coast, where three Victorian houses loom over the shimmering beach. Two of the houses are habitable, while the third is slowly and mysteriously being buried beneath an enormous dune of blindingly white sand. But though long uninhabited, the third house is not empty. Inside, something deadly lies in wait. Something that has terrified Dauphin Savage and Luker McCray since they were boys, and which still haunts their nightmares. Something horrific that may be responsible for several terrible and unexplained deaths years earlier–and is now ready to kill again....

A haunted house story unlike any other, Michael McDowell's The Elementals (1981) was one of the finest novels to come out of the horror publishing explosion of the 1970s and '80s. Though best known for his screenplays for Tim Burton's Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas, McDowell is now being rediscovered as one of the best modern horror writers and a master of Southern Gothic literature.

©1981, 2016 Estate of Michael McDowell (P)2016 Valancourt Books LLC Classics Horror Haunted Scary Fiction Fantasy
All stars
Most relevant
It’s easy to see why Stephen King was inspired by this story, with its strong, character-driven writing and evocative descriptions of dilapidated mansions, stifling heat and unknowable horror.

In finest Gothic tradition, this story features a slow, measured pace in line with the langurous attitudes of the cast, but slowly ramps up the tension and threat to unbearable levels that rewards the patient listener.

Reading the text with a voice like honeyed gravel, RC Bray perfectly captures each member of the varied and likeable cast. Fans of McDowell’s writing of the screenplay for Beetlejuice will in particular be drawn to India McCray.

A great slow burn southern gothic horror

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
loved it so so much Michael mcdowell is a master and this is no exception.
Southern gothic chilled sleepy creepiness

brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you are looking for at fast-paced scary story, this will not be it. Cosy, funny and just about the right level of scary for my taste.

Loved the performance

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Michaels books are a weird buzz. most the characters are arseholes and not much really happens...but Its creepy and kinda comfort horror

Nothing much happens yet so addictive

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The story took nearly 5 hours to get anywhere . And the last 2 hours was ok ish. I found it a tough listen nearly gave up in middle, was only the narration that kept the story alive.
The end seemed to be an anticlimax with just a load of gore thrown in. Wasn’t really worth the wait . No real big twist at the end a little predictable.

Saved by bray

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.